Energy, Water, Food Nexus Decision-Making for Sustainable …
197
3 EWF Nexus Approach: A Tool to Harness Resources
Interactions in Achieving Sustainable Resources
Management
The EWF nexus is a systems approach that emphasises on the intricate interactions
between energy, water and food resource sub-systems [31], first introduced in the
Bonn conference in 2011 as means to address the unsustainable resource management
across EWF sectors [32]. The Bonn conference defined the pillars constituting the
security of each resource system as part of defunding relationships between systems,
and to encourage sustainable and rational quantification of interactions amongst them
and their associated subsystems [33]. In this regard, energy security was defined as
the consistent access to cheap and uninterrupted energy for the different daily-life
activities [34]. Water security is described as the safe and sufficient access to water
resources that ensure a decent livelihood [35]. As for food security, it is represented by
four pillars that ensure a consistent and stable availability, affordability and utilisation
of food resources [4]. Considering the security of security of resources, ultimately the
EWF nexus framework establishes an equilibrium between diverse system objectives
by balancing synergies and tradeoffs, while promoting sustainability and maintaining
ecosystem integrity [36].
While the EWF nexus approach is generally adopted as a tool to ensure efficient
resources management, it can serve different purposes depending on the context in
which it is applied in. According to Albrecht et al. the EWF nexus can be considered
as an analytical tool to quantitatively or qualitatively describe interactions between
sectors, using mathematical models or social analytical frameworks [37]. This can be
applied to different levels of the decision making ranging from the operational to the
strategic levels [38]. Upon a thorough understanding of the interlinkages between
resources, the EWF nexus can also represent a conceptual approach to improve
sustainability pillars and policy-making within the three resources systems. The EWF
nexus can also serve to initiate and facilitate the efficient collaboration between
resource sectors [39], which can be achieved by combining analytical tools with
well thought conceptual frameworks. The three roles of the EWF nexus can be used
interchangeably as they all intend to improve the performance of resource systems
through promoting cross-sectoral sustainable cooperation.
3.1 Energy and Water
The EWF nexus literature has significantly focused on analysing and quantifying
the convoluted interlinkages existing between the three nexus systems. Essentially,
the major focus of the studies addressing the EWF nexus is related to resource
management for sustainable development. Works conducted in this regard can be
divided into two major categories depending on the system of interest and respective
boundary. The first pool of studies, which constitutes the largest share of the nexus
197
3 EWF Nexus Approach: A Tool to Harness Resources
Interactions in Achieving Sustainable Resources
Management
The EWF nexus is a systems approach that emphasises on the intricate interactions
between energy, water and food resource sub-systems [31], first introduced in the
Bonn conference in 2011 as means to address the unsustainable resource management
across EWF sectors [32]. The Bonn conference defined the pillars constituting the
security of each resource system as part of defunding relationships between systems,
and to encourage sustainable and rational quantification of interactions amongst them
and their associated subsystems [33]. In this regard, energy security was defined as
the consistent access to cheap and uninterrupted energy for the different daily-life
activities [34]. Water security is described as the safe and sufficient access to water
resources that ensure a decent livelihood [35]. As for food security, it is represented by
four pillars that ensure a consistent and stable availability, affordability and utilisation
of food resources [4]. Considering the security of security of resources, ultimately the
EWF nexus framework establishes an equilibrium between diverse system objectives
by balancing synergies and tradeoffs, while promoting sustainability and maintaining
ecosystem integrity [36].
While the EWF nexus approach is generally adopted as a tool to ensure efficient
resources management, it can serve different purposes depending on the context in
which it is applied in. According to Albrecht et al. the EWF nexus can be considered
as an analytical tool to quantitatively or qualitatively describe interactions between
sectors, using mathematical models or social analytical frameworks [37]. This can be
applied to different levels of the decision making ranging from the operational to the
strategic levels [38]. Upon a thorough understanding of the interlinkages between
resources, the EWF nexus can also represent a conceptual approach to improve
sustainability pillars and policy-making within the three resources systems. The EWF
nexus can also serve to initiate and facilitate the efficient collaboration between
resource sectors [39], which can be achieved by combining analytical tools with
well thought conceptual frameworks. The three roles of the EWF nexus can be used
interchangeably as they all intend to improve the performance of resource systems
through promoting cross-sectoral sustainable cooperation.
3.1 Energy and Water
The EWF nexus literature has significantly focused on analysing and quantifying
the convoluted interlinkages existing between the three nexus systems. Essentially,
the major focus of the studies addressing the EWF nexus is related to resource
management for sustainable development. Works conducted in this regard can be
divided into two major categories depending on the system of interest and respective
boundary. The first pool of studies, which constitutes the largest share of the nexus